The UMBC Department of Athletics held its 15th Annual Gritty Awards on Monday, May 11, inside the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
Matt Skalsky Outstanding Scholar-Athletes
The men's winners:
Aidan Denham (Baseball, Computer Science),
Brendan Hanlon (Swimming & Diving, Chemical Engineering),
Sean Neils (Swimming & Diving, Financial Economics/Accounting),
Alex Steers (Lacrosse, Business Technology Administration),
Ellie Taragano (Swimming & Diving, Mathematics)
Leon Upshur Memorial Award
Conner McLaughlin joined the UMBC Athletics' Equipment Room staff in July 2022, he previously spent the 2021-22 academic year as an intern with both the Retriever Game Day Operations and the equipment room staff. This past season, he stepped up to serve as an assistant men's lacrosse coach. Now a trusted, full-time member of the athletic department, Conner embodies Leon Upshur's spirit.
Retriever Impact Award
Dr. Amy Gooding is a clinical psychologist and Clinical Lead at Eating Recovery Center, Baltimore. She regularly presents to our athletes, coaches, and sports medicine staff on the identification, prevention, and treatment of eating disorders. In addition, our honoree provides ongoing consultation to our sports medicine staff on the mental health and well-being of student-athletes.
Eddie Carrera, serves as more than just a UMBC Transit Department bus driver. He is a guardian to our student-athletes, coaches, and staff. Whether navigating rain, snow, or heavy traffic, Eddie provides a calming, professional presence on every journey. Always greeting everyone with a smile and often remembering names, he brings a unique warmth.
Retrievers of the Year
Male
Derek Paris is experiencing his best offensive season, ranking fourth in the America East Conference with a .338 batting average. As a catcher, he also stands out among league leaders in runs, doubles, RBIs, on-base percentage, and is a top defender with stolen bases against. In the classroom, the computer science major earned spots on both the America East Conference All-Academic Team (2024, 2025) and the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
Female
Hannah Howard, an Inwood, West Virginia native, has delivered three outstanding volleyball seasons, helping lead the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances. Twice named America East Conference Defensive Player of the Year, she earned her first All-Conference First Team honors this past fall. As a junior, she was named the 2025 America East Championship Tournament's Most Valuable Player. Her work in the classroom is equally impressive: the Information Systems Major made the 2025 Academic All-District Team and was an Academic All-American Finalist. Already a 10-time America East Defensive Player of the Week honoree, her dedication stands out in every area.
Dr. Charles R. Brown Outstanding Athlete Award
Male
Iosif Papa is among UMBC's most decorated student-athletes. Originally from Nicosia, Cyprus, he holds the Retrievers' all-time outdoor discus record and ranks sixth all-time in the indoor shot put. In 2023, this Financial Economics Major won the America East Conference discus title and claimed bronze at the prestigious Penn Relays. He earned a silver medal in discus at the 2024 America East Outdoor Championships. Last season, competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, he finished 17th in the nation and earned 2025 Outdoor Honorable Mention All-American honors. He also reclaimed the America East Conference discus title and captured the IC4A championship. Papa was named America East Outstanding Field Performer at the 2026 America East Outdoor Championships as he earned gold in the discus, breaking the championship meet record.
Female
Ashley Gutshall set UMBC records in three events. She is a native of Royersford, Pennsylvania, and is now the program's top performer in the 50- and 100-Freestyle. In 2024, she helped her 200 and 400 Free Relay teams set records at the UMBC Aquatic Complex. The following year, she set the UMBC pool record in the 50 Freestyle and helped her 200-meter freestyle relay squad break the school record. In 2025, she also captured gold in the 50 Freestyle at the America East Conference Championship and was part of the silver-medal 200 Free Relay team. During the 2026 season, she broke the America East meet record, repeated as the 50 freestyle champion, and qualified for the NCAA Championships—finishing in the top 50 nationally and becoming the first Retriever to compete at the event since 2017. She also set another program and conference record in the 100 freestyle. Off the pool deck, this History Major, minoring in Spanish Language and Culture, earned America East All-Academic and the 2025-2026 Academic All-District Team honors from College Sports Communicators.
Athletic Director Award
The first-ever award honors a standout member of the women's swimming and diving team,
Bruna de Padua. Always willing to go the extra mile for her team and the athletics department since arriving in Baltimore in the fall of 2024, the native of Curitiba, Brazil, has made an impact in and out of the pool. She earned America East Conference Swimmer of the Week honors three different times as a junior and was named to the America East All-Academic Team as well. She was a member of four free relay squads that set UMBC pool records on December 7, 2024.
The senior Media & Communications Studies major also minors in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Highest Team GPA Award
Men: Women's Swimming & Diving, 3.720
Women: Men's Cross Country, 3.438
Female Rookie of the Year
Enazajah Young, Track & Field
Male Rookie of the Year
Braden Weise, Swimming & Diving
Newcomer of the Year
DJ Armstrong Jr., Men's Basketball
Breakthrough Athlete of the Year
Ehi Okojie, Baseball
Athletic Event of the Year
Men's Basketball America East Championship game against Vermont
Play of the Year
Lyna Beraich, Women's Track & Field
Female Performance of the Year
Katie Schwaner, Track & Field
Men's Performance of the Year
Men's Swimming & Diving
Team Awards
Women's Soccer
Delainey Varela-Keen, Most Improved Player
Olivia Nardone, Unsung Hero
Zoe Brossman, Most Valuable Player
Men's Soccer
Emigdio Tormo Lopez, Most Valuable Player
Branden Johns, Unsung Hero
Kofi Amoah &
Logan Ehart, Co-Most Improved Players
Women's Volleyball
Hannah Howard, Player of the Year
Laura Fuehrer, Most Improved Player
Jada James, Unsung Hero
Women's Cross Country
Lily Strelecki, Most Outstanding Athlete
Katelyn Deal, Most Improved Athlete
Katie Schwaner, The Big Dawg Award
Men's Cross Country
Daniel Danilovitz, Most Outstanding Athlete
Justin Banks, Most Improved Athlete
Joey Ensor, The Big Dawg Award
Women's Basketball
Alaina Williams, Most Improved Player
Carmen
Yánez, Unsung Hero
Jade Tillman, Most Valuable Player
Men's Basketball
Caden Diggs, Unsung Hero
Ace Valentine, Most Improved Player
DJ Armstrong Jr., Most Valuable Player
Women's Swimming & Diving
Ashley Gutshall, Most Valuable Athlete
Alice Marini, Unsung Hero
Erma Duratovic, Most Improved Athlete
Men's Swimming & Diving
Braden Weise, Most Valuable Athlete
Sean Neils, Unsung Hero
Axel Mori, Most Improved Athlete
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Katie Schwaner, Most Valuable Athlete
Enazajah Young, Most Valuable Athlete
Lyna Beraich, Most Valuable Athlete
Men's Indoor Track & Field
Ojigwe Olua, Most Valuable Athlete
Joey Ensor, Most Valuable Athlete
Jacob Martin, Most Valuable Athlete
Women's Lacrosse
Emily Knapp, Most Valuable Player
Ella Killian, Top Dawg
Emily Renehan, Unsung Hero
Men's Lacrosse
Ryan Demato, Most Outstanding Offensive Player
Jameson Coffman, Most Outstanding Defensive Player
Todd Freeman, Most Outstanding Freshman
Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Ava Roberts, Most Valuable Athlete
Enazajah Young, Most Valuable Athlete
Lily Bandy, Most Valuable Athlete
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Iosif Papa, Most Valuable Athlete
Martin Ojulu, Most Valuable Athlete
Ojigwe Olua, Most Valuable Athlete
Baseball
Ehi Okojie, Most Valuable Athlete
Zach Robinson, Most Improved Athlete
Eddie Sargent, Unsung Hero
Softball
Taylor Nicholson, Top Hitter
Emily Riggs, Top Hitter
Jayda Koontz, Top Pitcher
